I don't think you start putting innings caps on guys for future years when you have no idea what the situation will be. They could be good, they could be terrible. He could be on fire, he could be worn out, he could throw lots of laborsome innings for a lousy team, he could get hurt, he could be steady and efficient. Who knows.

I don't like it unless he's coming off a serious injury, which he's not. I hate this era of protecting pitchers more than we should at times. Either pitch 'em as far they can reasonably go without blowing their arms out or trade him someplace where he can be more useful.

I'd have the discussion about this year but would still defer to those in charge. Let them figure out if he needs the down time. Some guys do better with more work.

I can't see how we can have a discussion about what goes down 12 months from now. I don't expect to be able to recognize the team next season. I expect the Sox are going to spend a LOT of money in FA this off season and how that will impact next season only time will tell.

I wish I shared your optimism. The good news is that, whatever money they do spend on FA probably doesn't have to go toward starting pitching.

I wish I shared your optimism. The good news is that, whatever money they do spend on FA probably doesn't have to go toward starting pitching.

The Sox have a grand total of $48M committed to next year's payroll according to Cots. Even with raises coming for Beckham, Viciedo and Flowers (assuming they keep him) they should have 40-45M to spend just to get back to $100M (which they've easily averaged since 2006). That should net them a 3B and Catcher and hopefully an OF too with money left over to spend on RP and a #5 SP (if they think they need one).

I expect Beckham to sign a 4-5 year contract and they might try to lock in Tank for 3-4 years too, but expect both their 2014 numbers to come in at or below Sale this year (3.5 M). That's a total obligation of 55M - 40M if they trade Dunn.

All of this is before we even factor in the extra money they will get from the new national TV contract.

Even if they go really low on payroll due to obligations not met from this season they will have 25M or so to spend and I'll be shocked if they only commit 80M to payroll next year. They haven't been that low since 2005.

__________________Riding shotgun on the Sox bandwagon since before there was an Internet...

The Sox have a grand total of $48M committed to next year's payroll according to Cots. Even with raises coming for Beckham, Viciedo and Flowers (assuming they keep him) they should have 40-45M to spend just to get back to $100M (which they've easily averaged since 2006). That should net them a 3B and Catcher and hopefully an OF too with money left over to spend on RP and a #5 SP (if they think they need one).

I expect Beckham to sign a 4-5 year contract and they might try to lock in Tank for 3-4 years too, but expect both their 2014 numbers to come in at or below Sale this year (3.5 M). That's a total obligation of 55M - 40M if they trade Dunn.

All of this is before we even factor in the extra money they will get from the new national TV contract.

Even if they go really low on payroll due to obligations not met from this season they will have 25M or so to spend and I'll be shocked if they only commit 80M to payroll next year. They haven't been that low since 2005.

Dunn and Danks will make close to $30M between the two of them. Are you saying that the payroll commitment for the rest of the team combined is a little less than $20M? Wow.

Dunn and Danks will make close to $30M between the two of them. Are you saying that the payroll commitment for the rest of the team combined is a little less than $20M? Wow.

That's only because guys who are in their arb or pre-arb years don't count towards the guaranteed total for next season; none of them have guarantee deals for the 2014 season even if they are still under team control. This includes guys like De Aza, Beckham, and Viciedo who will probably earn between $8-$10 million combined.

B-R's payroll tracker currently shows the Sox's estimated payroll for 2014 based on all guaranteed salaries, expected arb cases, and adding enough league minimum salaries to reach a 25-man roster at a tick under $70 million.

No, just basic logic, the opinions of every other manager in MLB who don't pitch their pitchers like that and the opinions of many writers and analysts. But thanks for asking, Mr Moderator.

God, it's going to be so embarrassing for you when someone takes the 15 seconds of time needed to show that, depending on what day it is, Chris Sale's not even in the top 30 of pitches thrown in MLB this year...

That's only because guys who are in their arb or pre-arb years don't count towards the guaranteed total for next season; none of them have guarantee deals for the 2014 season even if they are still under team control. This includes guys like De Aza, Beckham, and Viciedo who will probably earn between $8-$10 million combined.

B-R's payroll tracker currently shows the Sox's estimated payroll for 2014 based on all guaranteed salaries, expected arb cases, and adding enough league minimum salaries to reach a 25-man roster at a tick under $70 million.

Since winning the World Series, the Sox Opening Day payroll has been, on average, $108 M. I expect it to come in around there.

Ok, but this organization is no longer thriving off the high of the WS. There is a new GM in charge now, they are going to finish with a record we haven't seen in a long time, and with moves that have been made so far this indicates to me an organizational change. The payroll could be $100 million next year, but I think it will be more in the $85-90 million range.